1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a channel entry technique for an apparatus such as a television signal receiver, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for assisting users with channel entry that, among other things, utilizes channel tuning history to simplify the channel entry process.
2. Background Information
In current products, such as certain television signal receivers, variable length major and/or minor channel numbers may be entered by a user. A major channel number may for example consist of up to four digits, while a minor channel number may for example consist of up to three digits. These properties may result in the user being required to enter a relatively large number of keystrokes in order to enter a single channel number (e.g. to change channels via direct channel entry). Since this is a common operation in many consumer electronic products, reducing the number of keystrokes required for the channel entry process would enhance the user experience.
One approach for reducing the number of keystrokes required for the channel entry process involves using a channel number completion algorithm that exploits knowledge of valid channel numbers (i.e., those channel numbers which are properly tunable). According to one such conventional algorithm, a user channel entry is accepted as complete when it is a unique and complete representation of an available channel. The rules for channel entry according to this conventional algorithm are as follows.
First, there are a maximum number of digits for the major and minor channel numbers (e.g., four digits for the major channel number, three digits for the minor channel number). Entry of the major channel number is complete when: (i) the maximum number of digits has been entered, (ii) the user presses a predetermined key indicating completion (e.g., ENTER, OK, etc.) or a minor channel number delimiter key (e.g., DASH, right arrow, etc.), or (iii) the entered number is a unique and complete representation of a channel number currently available. When entry of the major channel number is complete, a check is performed to determine if there are any minor channel numbers associated with the entered major channel number. If not, then the entry is taken as complete. If so, then entry of the minor channel number is initiated.
Also according to this conventional algorithm, the channel entry process will “time out” if no entry is made for a predetermined time period (e.g., five seconds, etc.), in which case the partial entry is accepted as complete. A partial entry is considered a unique and complete representation of the major channel number if: (i) there is a channel whose major channel number has the same number of digits as have already been entered by the user and that major channel number identically matches the entered digits, or (ii) any further digit entry could not result in a match to any available channel. For example, if four digits are permitted, and channel numbers 102 and 1024 are available, then entry of the digits 1-0-2 would not result in a unique entry, and would therefore not be accepted as complete.
While the foregoing conventional algorithm simplifies the channel entry process to some extent, the present inventors recognize that it can be simplified even further. The present invention described herein provides a method and apparatus for assisting users with channel entry that, among other things, utilizes channel tuning history to simplify the channel entry process.